The Ontological argument Flashcards
Who created the ontological argument?
Anselm of cantebury
What is a deductive argument?
A result from a valid argument constructed from a set of true premises; which, therefore, makes the conclusion true.
What did Anselm argue in the ontological argument?
He offered an argument FOR the existence of God is based upon his understanding of God’s nature and the definition of God
How did Anselm define GOD?
“GOD is that than which no greater can be concieved”
What is the conclusion Anselm reached?
IF God were only to exist in mind (as an idea) then he would not be the greatest being possible (God would be limited). Therefore, GOD must exist in mind and reality.
List all of the points in the ontological argument.
- God is the greatest thing that we can think of
- Things can exist in imagination or reality
- Things that exist in reality are always better than in mind
- If God exists he must exist in both mind and reality because he is the greatest thing possible
- Therefore, God exists in reality
What did Immanuel Kant say about the ontological argument?
He objected the argument as existance is something that cannot be predicated (something said of another object), and Anselm’s method of proofing GOD exists was through predication. Therefore, Anselm did not include any proof GOD actually exists in reality.
What is the parable of the invisible gardener?
Person A and Person B return to a garden after a long abscence and notice the plants are thriving still. Person A assumes that there is a gardener that actively attends the plants continuously. Person B disagrees so to prove this they both wait to see if a gardener shows up. After some time passes, no gardener shows up so Person A says the gardener must be invisible. They then set up traps and blood hounds to trace the gardener but they find nothing. Person A then says, the gardener must be untangeable and unsmellable. Person B replies saying what is the difference between a invisible, intangible and unsmellable gardener, and no gardener at all.
Who is another opponent of this argument, and what did they say?
Gaunilo - argued that anselm’s argument is futile through his lost island parody. There is a lost island where nothing greater than that island can be concieved; it is greater to exist in reality and mind than in the mind alone. If the island exists in mind alone then there is a greater one that can be concieved. Therefore that is the greatest island and it exists. He compared this to God in the form of an island saying this argument can apply to anything that exists.
What is Anselm’s second form of the ontological argument?
Anselm responded to Gaunilo’s challange through the idea of necessary and contingent beings. The ontological argument is an argument that only works for God as he is a necessary being who cannot not exist otherwise everything would not exist. We are contingent beings which means we can not exist. Therefore this argument only works for necessary beings which the only one is God.
Who is Descartes and what was his view on the ontological argument?
Descartes was a proponent of the ontological argument and had created a mini argument slightly influenced by the structure of the ontological argument. He said:
- God has all the perfections
- Existence is part of perfection (to be perfect you must exist)
Therefore God must exist.
